Quick

Starring:Teri Polo, Jeff Fahey, Tia Carrere
Studio: Platinum Disc
Product Type: DVD

Average customer rating:

Cabaret
A flashy but ultimately unmoving film
Cabaret DVD
Enduring entertainment
great movie -- awful quality of dvd

Cabaret
Starring: Liza Minnelli , Michael York , Helmut Griem , Joel Grey , and Fritz Wepper
Director: Bob Fosse
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00009Y3L4
Release Date: 2003-08-19

Amazon.com essential video

Winner of eight Academy Awards, including Best Director (Bob Fosse), Best Actress (Liza Minnelli), and Best Supporting Actor (Joel Grey), Cabaret would also have taken Best Picture if it hadn't been competing against The Godfather as the most acclaimed film of 1972. (Francis Ford Coppola would have to wait two years before winning Best Director, for The Godfather, Part II.) Brilliantly adapted from the acclaimed stage production, which was in turn inspired by Christopher Isherwood's Berlin Stories and the play and movie I Am a Camera, this remarkable musical turns the pre-war Berlin of 1931 into a sexually charged haven of decadence. Minnelli commands the screen as nightclub entertainer Sally Bowles, who radiantly goes on with the show as the Nazis rise to power, holding her many male admirers (including Michael York and Helmut Griem) at a distance that keeps her from having to bother with genuinely deep emotions. Joel Grey is the master of ceremonies at the Kit Kat Klub who will guarantee a great show night after night as a way of staving off the inevitable effects of war and dictatorship. They're all living in a morally ambiguous vacuum of desperate anxiety, determined to keep up appearances as the real world--the world outside the comfortable sanctuary of the cabaret--prepares for the nightmarish chaos of war. Director-choreographer Fosse achieves a finely tuned combination of devastating drama and ebullient entertainment, and the result is one of the most substantial screen musicals ever made. The dual-layered Special Edition widescreen DVD includes an exclusive 25th-anniversary documentary, Cabaret: A Legend in the Making, a 1972 promotional featurette, a photo gallery, production notes, the theatrical trailer, and more. --Jeff Shannon

Description

Willkommen, bienvenue, welcome to Cabaret. The winner of eight Academy Awards, it boasts a score by the legendary songwriting partnership behind another film that would energize the movie musical genre with equal razzle-dazzle 30 years later: Chicago's John Kander and Fred Ebb. Inside the Kit Kat Club of 1931 Berlin, starry-eyed singer Sally Bowles (Liza Minnelli) and an impish emcee (Joel Grey) sound the clarion call to decadent fun, while outside a certain political party grows into a brutal force. Cabaret caught lightning (and won Oscars) for Minnelli, Grey and director Bob Fosse, who shaped a triumph of style and substance. Come to this Cabaret, old chum. You'll never want to leave.

DVD Features:
Documentary:25th-Anniversary Documentary "Cabaret: A Legend in the Making"
Featurette:"The Recreation of An Era"
Interactive Menus
Interviews
Production Notes:"Kit Kat Klub Memory Gallery": The film's stars and creators reminisce about making movie musical history.
Scene Access
Theatrical Trailer

Customer Reviews:

Cabaret.......2007-07-03

Fosse's groundbreaking "Cabaret," a Broadway musical-turned-showstopping film event, was itself based on a novel by Christopher Isherwood. While the film considers Germany's dark, historic slide from Weimar decadence into fascism from an intriguing angle, it's the effusive, stylishly choreographed song-sequences that elevate the film to classic status. Minnelli was never better as the brash, electrifying Sally, especially belting out "Money" or the Dietrich-like "Tomorrow Belongs to Me." And who can forget Joel Grey, the Kit Kat's eccentric, ghastly master of ceremonies? Winner of eight Oscars, "Cabaret" is a flamboyant knockout.

A flashy but ultimately unmoving film.......2007-06-22

Cabaret contains some great musical numbers - but the accompanying story is less compelling.

Michael York plays a stiff Englishman Brian Roberts newly arrived in 1930s Germany just as the Nazis are coming to power. He meets dancer/prostitute Sally Bowles played by Liza Minelli who works at the seedy Kit Kat club. Many of the musical numbers are set at the club and counterpoint the story.

Both York's and Minelli's characters are hard to like. They are morally corrupt and at the end of the film they end up right where they started - without seemingly having learning anything.

Minelli copped an Oscar for her performance and there is little doubt that in the musical numbers she is a knockout - as an actress, however, she is somewhat limited. Joel Grey also won an Oscar as the grotesque "Master of Proceedings" at the Kit Kat club.

Despite the trappings the film provides little atmosphere of 1930s Germany, no doubt hampered by its low budget. "Cabaret" is flashy but somewhat empty.

The picture on the DVD transfer is grainy but the sound is OK.

Cabaret DVD.......2007-05-07

After recently seeing the stage show version, I bought the DVD ...and I liked it better than the stage show. It was easier to understand.

Enduring entertainment.......2007-03-08

I saw Cabaret many years ago and loved it. After watching it again on DVD the other evening, I realized it's just as entertaining now as it was then because it hasn't lost its freshness. Another realization was that the anti-intolerance message is just as pertinent today as it was then. In fact, it may be even more important today to realize the danger in mob psychology. A message with great music and a love story!!! What a deal.

great movie -- awful quality of dvd.......2007-02-19

This is a great movie. Love it, so I ordered this dvd to watch on my new high def 50" tv. Terrible quality! very disappointing

Average customer rating:

good workout
great video and great workout
Bodyrefining Work-Out
What a Workout!
Quick Toning: Abs & Buns of Steel

Quick Toning: Abs & Buns of Steel
Starring: Tamilee Webb
Manufacturer: Atlantic / Wea
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Quick Toning: Abs, Arms & Lower Body of Steel
Platinum Series: Legs, Hips & Thighs of Steel
The Science of Fitness with Tamilee - I Want That Body!
Perfect Abs
Target Toning: Buns and Abs of Steel

ASIN: B0000TG992
Release Date: 2003-12-30

Description

From one of the most trusted fitness brands of all time, this new DVD features six great "of Steel" programs and includes over 100 minutes of fitness expertise. Led by acclaimed instructor Tamilee Webb, you can excercise all the key parts of your body.

Customer Reviews:

good workout.......2007-06-08

this dvd rocks! it definitely toned my abs and buns. but it also took a lot of cardio. tamilee webb is very motivating too, and not in an annoying cheerleader type of way. i recomend this dvd for anyone getting ready for bikini season

great video and great workout.......2007-06-08

Tamilee Webb is the one person I workout with. Her videos are the best and her workouts are the most effective of anything I have ever used. I love this video. I use the exercises in it even without the video. I have learned alot about how to exercise and the technique to use for various areas. Tamilee really gets down to working what needs to be worked. She gives you the best. I'm looking forward to more of her videos coming out on DVD. Thanks again Tamilee. You are the best.

Bodyrefining Work-Out.......2007-05-17

Tami's work-outs are tough but they sure do create buns & abs of steel. U can never expect wonders out of a work-out dvd without changing ure eating habits but everyone who is serious about working out eating healthy get enough fresh air and are disciplined enought to work-out every 2nd day or at least 3 times a week, will definatley see results in a few weeks. I had problems being too skinny and have a hard time keeping my weight and i love the results im getting out of this dvd its a must have at home no matter if over weighted or too skinny.

What a Workout!.......2007-05-08

Quick Toning: Abs & Buns of Steel

Getting a good workout and toning with Tamilee always works for me!

Quick Toning: Abs & Buns of Steel.......2007-04-16

I found this DVD to be extremely helpful, I use this one in conjunction to Arms, ABS, and Lower body of steel. These are ideal if you're looking to tone and tighten, the workouts will not make you look muscular or bulky, she even mentions that during the arm workout. Who cares if the fashion is dated, the exercises never go out of style!!! I found her to be very encouraging and explains about different body types, that really opened my eyes!! she goes on to state that there's no such thing as perfect..I liked that part very much. I noticed,and most importantly, my fiance has noticed a BIG difference in my ABS..I definitely notice a difference in my upper thighs and rear end. The best part was after diligently using the DVDs for two weeks, my jeans started fitting better and more comfortably. I have more energy and find myself going out and accomplishing more as result. TAMILEE ROCKS!!!

Average customer rating:

Great Film
The Original "In The Heat Of The Night"
Great movie....
Great Murder Mystery with race overtones
In the Heat of the Night

In the Heat of the Night
Starring: Sidney Poitier , Rod Steiger , Warren Oates , Lee Grant , and Larry Gates
Director: Norman Jewison
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000053VBH
Release Date: 2001-01-09

Amazon.com essential video

Both riveting murder mystery and classic fish-out-of-water yarn, Norman Jewison's Oscar-winning In the Heat of the Night represents Hollywood at its wiliest, cloaking exposé in the most entertaining trappings. Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger prove the decade's most formidable antagonists. Poitier plays Virgil Tibbs, an arrogant homicide detective waylaid in Sparta, Mississippi; Steiger, in his bravura Oscar-winning turn, is Bill Gillespie, the town's hardheaded, bigoted sheriff who first arrests Tibbs for murder and then begs for his expertise. As the clues and suspects mount, Gillespie and his deputies develop begrudging respect for the black officer. The first-rate supporting cast includes Lee Grant as the victim's angry widow, Warren Oates as a voyeuristic deputy, William Schallert as the pragmatic mayor, and, in his screen debut, Scott Wilson (In Cold Blood) as an unlucky fugitive. The brilliant widescreen cinematography is by Haskell Wexler, and the scat-music score is by Quincy Jones. Ray Charles wails the blues theme song. --Glenn Lovell

Description

Starring Academy AwardÂ(r) winners* Sidney Poitier, Rod Steiger and Lee Grant, this provocative mystery thriller won** five 1967 OscarsÂ(r), including Best Picture. Highlighted by an evocative score from OscarÂ(r)-winning*** composer Quincy Jones, In The Heat Of The Night is a "powerful film" (The New York Times) that delivers the "highest level of exciting entertainment" (New York Daily News)! While traveling in the Deep South, Virgil Tibbs, a black Philadelphia homicide detective, becomes unwittingly embroiled in the murder investigationof a prominent businessman when he is first accused of the crimeand then asked to solve it! Finding the killer proves to be difficult, however, especially when his efforts are constantly thwarted by the bigoted town sheriff (Steiger). But neither man can solve this case alone. Putting aside their differences and prejudices, they join forces in a desperate race against time to discover the shocking truth. *Poitier: Actor, Lilies of the Field (1963); Steiger: Actor, In the Heat of the Night (1967); Grant: Supporting Actress, Shampoo (1975) **Actor (Steiger), Adapted Screenplay, Editing, Sound ***1994: Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award

Customer Reviews:

Great Film.......2007-06-22

From the opening performance of "In The Heat of the Night", sung by the great Ray Charles, this film will grab your attention immediately and will grip you for the next hour and 3/4.

Poitier plays a black northern dectective Virgil Tibbs, who is arrested in the deep south for a murder he had nothing to with. Steiger is a bigoted local Sheriff eventually forced to work with Tibbs to solve the case. Both the lead performances are truly mesmerising. There are a number of classic scenes in this film of which perhaps my favourite is when the Sheriff interviews Tibbs for the first time and finds he's a policeman.

The film is very well directed by Norman Jewison and won 5 Oscars in 1967, including best actor for Rod Steiger. Quincy Jones also deservedly won a Grammy for his music score. The only extra is the original trailer, which is a shame. However the film itself is so good that the DVD has to have 5 stars regardless.

The Original "In The Heat Of The Night".......2007-06-15

1967's "In the Heat of the Night" is almost a time capsule of an earlier age. The long-running TV series of the same name has probably blurred memories of this classic, while the raw racial tensions depicted in the movie may have lost some of their edge in the intervening 40 years. However, the artistry of this Academy Award-winning movie remains vivid and intact.

In the middle of a hot summer night in the small Southern town of Sparta, Mississippi, a prominent white industrialist is found robbed and murdered in the streets. One of the town constables arrests a black man at the train depot, who seems to have more money than he should. Only at the jail, under questioning by the town sheriff (in an Academy Award-winning performanc by Rod Stieger), is it revealed that the black man is a homicide detective from Philadelphia named Virgil Tibbs (played by Sidney Poitier).

Thus begins an uneasy alliance between the white sheriff and the black detective, in a race to find the real killer before tensions in the town explode into something uglier. Along the way, the two will be forced to face their own and each other's racial prejudices. Poitier's street-savy and professional cop is quick to anger at any affront to his dignity, an attitude not much seen in Sparta. Stieger's redneck sheriff must walk a delicate line between his slowly increasing admiration for Tibb's skills and the discontent his presence in the case is causing among the townspeople. The case itself twists, turns, and doubles back on itself to a tense and surprising conclusion. In the process, the white sheriff and the black detective arrive at a subtle but touching mutual respect that is the real payoff of the movie.

The movie is blessed with a superb supporting cast, especially Warren Oates as a troubled town constable and Lee Grant as the wife of the murdered industrialist. The cinematography is unforgettable; the viewer can almost feel the stifling heat and humidity of Sparta. The detail, from the small diner with pies under glass to the sweat-stained shirt and tie and polite drawl of the town mayor, is spot-on.

This movie is very highly recommended as a classic movie experience that has lost none of its bite and its suspense over the years.

Great movie...........2007-04-12

Sidney Poitier made this movie what it was. Great mystery with a few turns that keep you guessing.

Great Murder Mystery with race overtones.......2007-03-13

If you haven't seen this Academy Award winning movie from 1967, you are missing one of the best dramas regarding race relations and murder ever
filmed. It stars Sydney Poitier and Rod Steiger. Poitier is a black
northern policeman on vacation in the south, while Steiger is a police
chief in Mississippi. When an important rich white man is murdered,
Poitier is picked up at the train station because he is black and not
a known resident. What ensues is suspenseful, funny at times, and has
many twists and turns to keep the viewer guessing.

In the Heat of the Night.......2007-01-12

This is a great movie, a classic for the ages. It has a wonderful story, black and white relations in the South, a murder, several suspects: with 2 fantastic actors playing off each other. In spite of the many reruns on TV, never dull my interest and enchantment with this film.

Brideshead Revisited (25th Anniversary Collector's Edition)

Average customer rating:

Worth the purchase
Throughly enjoyed every minute!
Grand Art
The best I've ever seen on DVD
British TV Triumph

Brideshead Revisited (25th Anniversary Collector's Edition)
Starring: Jeremy Irons , Anthony Andrews , Phoebe Nicholls , Diana Quick , and Jane Asher
Director: Charles Sturridge , and Michael Lindsay-Hogg
Manufacturer: Acorn Media
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000GYI3DG
Release Date: 2006-10-10

Amazon.com

Fill a bowl with alpine strawberries, break out the Château Lafite (1899, of course), and bask in this benchmark 1981 British miniseries based on Evelyn Waugh's classic novel. Adapted for the screen by John Mortimer (Rumpole of the Bailey), this impeccable, nearly 11-hour production mesmerized American viewers during the course of its PBS run in 1982. In his breakthrough role, Jeremy Irons stars as Charles Ryder, a disillusioned Army captain who is moved to reflect on his "languid days" in the "enchanted castle" that was Brideshead, home of the aristocratic Marchmain family, whose acquaintance Charles made in the company of an Oxford classmate, the charming wild child Sebastian. Anthony Andrews costars as the doomed Sebastian, whose beauty is "arresting" and "whose eccentricities and behavior seemed to know no bounds." The "entitled and enchanted" Sebastian takes Charles under his wing ("Charles, what a lot you have to learn"), but vows early on that he is "not going to let [Charles] get mixed up with [his] family." But mixed up Charles gets. He becomes a friend and confidante, not to mention a lover, to Sebastian's sister Julia (Diana Quick). Meanwhile, the self-destructive Sebastian's life spirals out of control. Brideshead Revisited boasts a distinguished ensemble, including Laurence Olivier in his Emmy Award-winning role as the exiled Lord Marchmain, Claire Bloom as Lady Marchmain, and the magnificent John Gielgud as Charles's estranged father. Grand locations and a haunting musical score make this a memorable revisit of an irretrievable bygone era. For those who scheduled their weeks around the original Monday-night broadcasts or those visiting Brideshead for the first time, this boxed set release will be, as Charles rhapsodizes at one point while strolling the castle grounds, "very near to heaven." --Donald Liebenson

Description

25th Anniversary Collector's Edition

"Extraordinary" —The New York Times
"Visually ravishing" —Time

A special silver anniversary edition of the British classic called one of the best series in TV history. Based on the novel by Evelyn Waugh, two years in the making, and the equivalent of seven feature films back-to-back, this epic drama tells a story of romantic yearning and loss in the glittering but fading world of the British aristocracy between the wars. Winner of 17 international awards and starring Jeremy Irons, Anthony Andrews, Diana Quick, Sir John Gielgud, Claire Bloom, and Sir Laurence Olivier in an Emmy®-winning role. Bonus features on this edition include the 50-min. featurette Revisiting Brideshead, produced by British television to celebrate the anniversary and featuring retrospective interviews with Irons, Andrews, Quick, director Charles Sturridge, and many more. Also includes a 20-page program guide, production notes, and photo gallery.

Customer Reviews:

Worth the purchase.......2007-06-17

If you think this is the best miniseries ever made, don't hesitate - buy this collector's edition now! I bought mine on Amazon and think it is worth the discounted price. There are 4 DVD's each with their own cover and fitted inside a glossy box. There is a glossy little booklet (not many pages) with some throwaway commentary. There is 1 "making of" documentary in the first DVD which is moderately interesting with TV clips of Evelyn Waugh being interviewed and the cast making the show, fooling around, etc. (I have yet to see any DVD actually have a good "making of" documentary worth watching more than once or having actually any substance). Although the extra features tell you that they meticulously restored the film/tape of the original to make this DVD, resulting in a picture quality that exceeded what the 1981 viewers saw on the telly, I find this hard to believe as the picture quality is not sharp. They probably did clean it up quite a bit, but poor storage over the years must have resulted in pretty grainy quality even after all this restoration work. Too bad. This series really should be on a big cinema screen - a 13 hour screen-a-thon, anybody? (with champagne in the intermissions!)

Throughly enjoyed every minute!.......2007-06-10

Every minute of this mini series was thoroughly enjoyable! The period was during the mid 1920s to mid 1940s, but each character was relatable, and it shows how little things have really changed. The acting, locations, scenery, music and the script were all dream-like. It is something that I may well be watching on an annual basis.

Grand Art.......2007-06-10

I agree with most of the adoration for this film-work, as written by those reviewing here. This work is incomporable. My one observation of misfortune is the quality of the video. I don't know what went into making this DVD set grainy, but that is the one disappointment I experienced. Otherwise, it was grand to go down memory lane and experience this wonderful work again.

The best I've ever seen on DVD.......2007-06-04

I cannot begin to critique this DVD in the manner it deserves, so allow me to direct the reader to Randolph Bradley's review of this Bible story. This is a magnificent work; however, I resented Rome's success with Lords Sebastian and Marchman in disk 5; this did not ruin the film -- it was unnecessary to rub it in my face.

British TV Triumph.......2007-05-22

This is exquisite must-see television. Jeremy Irons is outstanding in the lead role and his interactions with Anthony Andrews are wonderful. The whose cast is indeed brilliant and the scenery is superb. If only all television was made this way.

Average customer rating:

Hilarious
Great fun!
Saving Grace - Funny, heart warming movie
Love this movie..
I almost liked this movie

Saving Grace
Starring: Bill Bailey , Brenda Blethyn , Martin Clunes , Tchéky Karyo , and Phyllida Law
Director: Nigel Cole
Manufacturer: New Line Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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I'll Be There

ASIN: B00003CXMY
Release Date: 2000-12-19

Amazon.com

Imagine a Cheech and Chong pothead comedy, only instead of two scruffy lowlifes, the movie is about an aimless Scottish gardener and a middle-aged British widow with a green thumb. Grace (Brenda Blethyn of Secrets and Lies and Little Voice) has just discovered that her recently deceased husband has left her with an enormous debt when her gardener Matthew (Craig Ferguson, The Big Tease) asks her to help him tend to his small, personal-use marijuana crop. Grace soon realizes that they can turn her green house into a hydroponics laboratory and turn out a profitable crop--if only they can keep the local constables at bay and then find a dealer to actually sell the stuff. Saving Grace has well-developed characters, intelligent dialogue, a charming and capable cast, and clean, clear direction. But at heart it's still a marijuana comedy, with most of its funniest moments coming from the silly, stoned behavior of elderly ladies and other stuffy Brits. Nothing wrong with that, and Blethyn and Ferguson give the film a strong anchor. The ending goes a little over-the-top, but most of the movie is well-grounded in genuine human behavior. A subplot about Matthew's girlfriend's pregnancy is treated with respect and integrity. Sweet, silly, and sincere. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

Hilarious.......2007-06-29

I had to buy this movie. I saw it for the first time when it first came to video. I wanted to buy it then but it was over $100. I am so glad I found it now for under $20. This movie will leave you in stitches. It is such a different story line than most. Highly recommended.

Great fun!.......2007-06-08

We've watched it many times and can't help ourselves from laughing again and again.

Saving Grace - Funny, heart warming movie.......2007-05-12

Saving Grace is a funny, yet heart warming movie about a widow facing financial difficulty after the death of her husband. Help comes from her faithful gardener as well as the moral support of her neighbors. Craig Ferguson plays the gardener and he is as brilliant and funny as usual. You can't go wrong with this movie if you are one of Craig's fans.

Love this movie.........2007-04-24

Delivery was quick, and packaging safe and sturdy.. very pleased. Great movie

I almost liked this movie.......2007-04-13

This ended up being a major disappoinment to me. I watched this in 2 sittings, and the first few minutes I found it to be a rather well done mystery/drama where the main character of Grace woke up one morning to find her husband dead, and the estate is in a shambles as her late husband didn't share with her what was going on, so while some might find this creative I found it to be rather stupid. I would have rather seen it kind of like a "Mrs. Wiggs of The Cabbage Patch" where her friends and neighbors secretly take care of her needs to get her back on her feet, but what do I get? she begins to grow marijuana in her greenhouse to sell to keep her house. While I didn't like this storyline I do understand that when a man, or woman is suddenly widowed at such a young age they tend to go off in different directions trying to get his/her life back on track. Mind you if there's a divorce the same steps are taken, but different things happen. I just feel that it was really a bad movie, and I will not have this in my collection.

Average customer rating:

A stroke . . . . . OF GENIUS!!!!
Should have been better.
Terrific!!
An Enjoyable Film for Me
How Did They Wreck This Movie???

The Producers (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Nathan Lane , Matthew Broderick , Uma Thurman , Will Ferrell , and Gary Beach
Director: Susan Stroman
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000EWBKMG
Release Date: 2006-05-16

Amazon.com

The trend is to convert movies into stage musicals, but The Producers goes a step further: making a feature film of the smash-hit stage musical that was adapted from the 1968 film. The chief drawing card, of course, is Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick reprising their roles from the stage. Lane plays Max Bialystock, a legendary Broadway producer who hasn't had a hit show in a long time. Enter nebbish accountant Leo Bloom (Broderick), who tells Bialystock he could actually make more money with a flop than a hit. So the two set out to produce the worst Broadway musical of all time, one guaranteed to close on opening night, with the collaboration of an outrageous cast of characters: Will Ferrell as sieg heil-ing author Franz Liebkind, Uma Thurman as Swedish bombshell Ulla, Gary Beach as director Roger De Bris, and Roger Bart as his assistant, Carmen Ghia, among others.

As directed and choreographed by Susan Stroman (who did the same honors on Broadway) and co-written by Mel Brooks, The Producers is laugh-out-loud funny. It's also a relentlessly over-the-top, shamelessly bawdy, stereotype-ridden comedy that may turn off its audience just as much as its centerpiece, Springtime for Hitler, was intended to. But Broadway fans who are used to larger-than-life figures who play to the back row while showering the first row with spit, are likely to forgive and just enjoy the famous granny-walker dance, a supporting cast dotted with Broadway performers (playing a taxi driver is Brad Oscar, who originated the role of Liebkind on Broadway then later played Bialystock), or the mere spectacle of seeing Lane and Broderick memorializing the performances that millions never got a ticket to see. (For maximum laughs, stick around through the closing credits.) --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews:

A stroke . . . . . OF GENIUS!!!!.......2007-04-28

First time I watched the movie, I thought, "What in the world was I thinking???". The next time I watched it was with my teenager (son) who doesn't like ANY musical. Big surprise -- he was totally captivated by the subtle (and not so subtle) humor and unbelievable comedic timing between Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick. Finally bought a copy on DVD for our home collection -- we think it's a HOOT!

Should have been better........2007-04-07

OK... really 2.5 stars, but that is not possible. It dropped to 2 because it really struggled to earn the .5 mark.

I typically don't care for "remakes" and because the original is one of my favorite Mel Brooks films, I resisted seeing this until I had the opportunity to purchase a copy for under a dollar. For that price, I reasoned, it would make a good companion piece to the original. It does... almost.

The directing is, at best, pedestrian. Most of the time I felt as if I were watching a play that had been filmed. Maybe that's what was intended. If you like that directing style then you'll not find a problem. I don't. I expect movies to have better direction and more camera movement/angles... even movies based on plays/musicals.

Matthew Broderick as Leo Bloom was simply terrible! His performance was wooden, stilted, and only passable in the very few times he appeared to be attempting to channel Gene Wilder. Maybe this is acceptable for a Broadway play but NOT for a film. Broderick CAN do better. I've seen it.

Nathan Lane as Max Bialystock almost made up for the poor performance from Broderick. In fact he was the main reason I made it all the way through the film! While he is no Zero Mostel, his was the best performance in the film.

I normally don't like Will Ferrell at all. However, here he did a good job as Franz Liebken. His performance was almost as good as that of Kenneth Mars in the original. The only problem was almost every time he was on the screen, so too were the awful animatronic pigeons supplied by Jim Henson company. They were so distractingly bad as to prevent full enjoyment of any scene in which they were to be found!

Uma Thurmon was a suprise. Very nice performance.

While I did miss Dick Shawn as hippie-freak Lorenzo S. Dubois, the updated take on the director, Roger De Bris, taking over the lead after Franz had broken his leg was done well enough that it really was a minor blip on the radar. Overall an excellent change and good update for the times.

There were several scenes I really missed. Most notably the one where Leo and Max had gone to the corner bar to celebrate their failure when in comes the crowd raving about how funny it all was and how they can't wait for the second act! In the remake, the very redundant, very long, very boring musical number in the cell where Max recounts the ENTIRE play could have been dropped to allow this scene (and others) to remain. At least most of it is on the deleted scenes portion of the release. This leads to perhaps the most glaring problem. The making of this script into a musical. The musical numbers were too frequent and too long causing the timing of the plot to suffer making for a longer production than necessary.

As in the original, the play-within-a-play "Springtime for Hitler" steals the show! While Mel Brooks was not on-screen this time as one of the Nazis delivering a one-liner, he *did* do the voice for the line!

Overall this *is* a funny film with several laugh-out-loud moments! It's Mel Brooks after all... The problem is that the directing and one very bad performance almost kill the funny.

If you are looking for a fair reproduction of the Broadway Musical, I get the impression that you'll get exactly that with this film even though several musical numbers were cut.

If you are looking for Mel Brooks... I encorage you to pick up the original. It's a superiour film in almost every respect.

And if you are one of those who stops a film (or leaves the theatre) as soon as the credits roll... don't this time and you'll be rewarded.

Terrific!!.......2007-03-09

We saw this show on Broadway and loved it. The movie was just as good or better. I don't know why the critics were lukewarm about it . Maybe they had issues with the gay humor. My whole family and I laughed until we ached. Mel Brooks is the funniest man on earth. Th cast was brilliant and it was hilarious, sad, poignent and full of life. Long live Mel Brooks!!

An Enjoyable Film for Me.......2007-03-08

I saw this film on the rental rack and figured I would give it a try. I'm not sorry that I did as I found it to be really funny. I was able to follow the plotline really easily and I laughed at just about every scene in the movie. I also liked the fact that there were no swear words in the movie that I could recall, and while there are several refences, there weren't any actual sex scenes, which as a nice change to me.
I didn't know that this was a remake of a movie from the 1960's, nor that it was a play on Broadway, but why should anyone be surprised? After all, it seems that half the movies they come out with nowadays, are remakes of some movie put out in the 50's or 60's. I am not one who cares whether or not something is a remake; if a plot appeals to me, like this one did, then I will watch it, regardless.
Several other reviewrs have pointed out that this wasn't as good as the original, but you know what; so what? Seriously. The origianl was put out, what, almost fourty years ago? I wasn't around then, and truth be told, if I were to sit and watch the original version of this film, I probably wouldn't really understand several of the refrences or the black humor that version supposedly has.
I thoroughly enjoyed this and am planning to buy it as soon as I can. Don't let those reviewers who said this wasn't as good as the original deter you from making up your mind one way or the other on whether or not you should watch it. I know I didn't, but rented it and watched it and THEN read the reviews on Amazon. And am glad that I did it that way.

How Did They Wreck This Movie??? .......2007-02-12

It's amazing....you have the musical hit of the decade to convert to the screen. So what do you do? You ditch the hilarious opening number (King of Broadway) that sets the stage and mood for the show; expand a much-too-long and exasperating sequence of the basic premise: "you can make more money with a flop than with a hit." Then, to make sure you fail, you miscast the role of Ula, leaving the lovely Cady Hoffman sitting at home while Uma Thurman does her best (which is not even near as good as it could be). Wrecked the show enough? No, not quite. Bring in Will Ferrell who does a great job of being Will Ferrell, and all the things that made "The Producers" such a hit have vanished...well, not quite. Once the movie hits its stride, it captures much of the magic of the original, but by then, who cares? The first 25 percent of the flick is awful, even with the incredible talents of Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick. I found the early parts of the movie to be an enormous disappointmemt, but still a good record of this hilarious show. I'm glad they filmed it. I enjoyed the last two-thirds of the movie, but by then I was so furious that it was difficult. It took real talent to screw up this funny, funny show!

Average customer rating:

Fun, challenging and different!
Great format
great workout, felt it the next day
Excellent
Great for the beginners

Quick Fix - Stability Ball Workout
Director: Keli Roberts
Manufacturer: Peter Pan
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000089QAP
Release Date: 2003-01-28

Amazon.com

There's no doubt that that adding an exercise ball to your routine will perk it up, but--depending on your sense of balance--it may also land you on the floor. Instructor Keli Roberts and her two able assistants make no such descents, but beginners are bound to wobble, which Roberts acknowledges with reassuring frequency. The three 10-minute workouts can be done individually or combined since they focus on different areas. Round 1 concentrates on the lower body with squats while holding the ball, balancing on it for a variation of the yoga bridge and squeezing it with the upper thighs. Workout 2 tones the arms and back by lifting dumbbells while sitting or leaning on the ball and using it for pushups. The final routine is specifically for the abs: sit-ups, curls, yoga's plank and downward dog, and Pilates scissors--all atop the ball. Weights are recommended for the second routine. --Kimberly Heinrichs

Customer Reviews:

Fun, challenging and different!.......2007-06-14

After reading the reviews here I was a little concerned, as an intermediate-level exerciser, that this DVD would be too easy for me. I'm happy to report that it wasn't!

Doing deep one-legged squats while rolling a stability ball in and out with your other leg ain't exactly easy! And neither is doing a shoulder bridge with one leg on the ball while rolling the ball in and out. These exercises, from the "Lower Body" section, are great for improving your balance and core strength, as well as being a lot of fun. This workout also includes some moves, such as side leg lifts, which use the stability ball for added resistance; I intensify these by using a medicine ball instead.

The "Abs" segment includes crunches on the ball; an exercise where your head, neck and shoulders are supported while you raise and lower your hips to work your lower back muscles; oblique crunches; opposite arm and leg raises while on the ball; back extensions; roll-outs; and planks. Keli also includes an easier version of the traditional pike on a ball.

I haven't tried the "Upper Body" workout as I prefer lifting heavier weights than would be safe to use on a stability ball. I love Keli Roberts as an instructor - she always comes up with some new moves - and I love the Quick Fix series!

Great format.......2007-06-05

This is my favorite workout dvd! It is thorough and the countdown clock is perfect for us impatient types who hate to work out and are constantly wondering when it will be over, LOL! With the exception of one or two positions, it is not overly complicated and most beginners can handle them. If you are older, out of shape/inflexible or have never done any ball exercises or yoga/pilates it may take you a minute to get used to-- just don't stress if you can't do some of the more advanced moves right away, you will find that 99% of it is still worthwhile.

great workout, felt it the next day.......2007-05-09

I have been working out steadily for a month and I wanted to break up my routine, so I decided to try the stability ball again. I still had mine from like 10 years ago, so I thought that all I needed was a pump and I would be good to go! Not so, I am on a very tight budget so I figured oh well, especially since at my local sporting goods store the cheapest ball was like 25 bucks! So, I left discouraged, I had to go to Walmart and I decided to look and see if they had them and low and behold not only did they have the ball, but it was only 9 bucks! So, now I had the ball and a very old tape with the workouts, again being on a tight budget, I went to Ross and found three stability ball workouts...can you believe it! They were all under 7 dollars! I bought the 10 minute solution stability ball workout and The Quick Fix workout.

I love both workouts, they both have great exercises. I think the ab work on the Quick Fix is a bit more challenging and you don't ever have to get on the floor to do the workout, which I love! There is no cardio or warm up, cool down or stretching on this video, but that isn't a problem for me because I run about 1 to 2 miles everyday so I get my cardio in and as far as stretching is concerned, get the 10 Minute Solution Stability Ball workout, it has a wonderful flexibility workout and a pretty good cardio workout! If you do both tapes together you can get a darn good 50 minute workout! Or do them seperately, if time is of the essence! It doesn't matter what you do, just do it!

Excellent.......2007-03-27

Pros: Excellent workout, good stretching, balance, workout with weights.
My back feels so good after this workout.
Cons: A section for warmup would be good.

Great for the beginners.......2007-03-09

I was a beginner when I bought the DVD, the three 10-minute sections for upper body, lower body and abs make it easy for me to carry it out according to my schedule. You can do it altogether or only do part of it. The instructor is really helpful and the exercise is easy to pick up. You definitely will FEEL it after the exercise!!! Overall, this DVD is pretty good for beginners. The only downside is that it doesn't have much for warm-up, if you need some more warm-up before the exercise, you'll be on your own.

Average customer rating:

The Tuck Review
Amazing movie!!!
A timeless tale,but no real chemistry between Winnie and Jesse.
Pure And Enjoyable Fantasy!
A really sweet movie

Tuck Everlasting
Starring: Alexis Bledel , William Hurt , Sissy Spacek , Jonathan Jackson , and Scott Bairstow
Director: Jay Russell
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Video
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ASIN: B00005JLOT
Release Date: 2003-02-25

Amazon.com

With the makings of a classic, Disney's Tuck Everlasting compares favorably with such family favorites as The Secret Garden and Fairy Tale: A True Story. Loosely but respectfully adapted from Natalie Babbitt's beloved children's book, this appealing fable focuses on the timeless Tuck family, blessed--and cursed--with immortality after drinking from a magical spring. Hiding their secret over passing decades, they are discovered in 1914 by Winnie (Alexis Bledel)--the only daughter of stern, upper-crust socialites--who encounters the life-affirming Jesse Tuck (Jonathan Jackson) and grows enchanted with his family (Sissy Spacek, William Hurt, Scott Bairstow) while her parents fear she's been kidnapped. The film's teenage romance is invented (Winnie is younger in Babbitt's book), but it's charmingly appropriate, and Ben Kingsley is perfect as a menacing man of mystery. Scoring a solid follow-up to his equally enjoyable My Dog Skip, director Jay Russell turns Tuck Everlasting into a magical plea for living life to its fullest. --Jeff Shannon

Description

Walt Disney Pictures' TUCK EVERLASTING, a timeless and enchanting adventure about one girl's magical summer, will captivate audiences of any age. Young Winnie Foster, stifled by the formality of her proper life and domineering mother, escapes into the woods only to get lost. Soon she happens upon Jesse Tuck -- a boy full of life and adventure who's unlike anyone she's ever met -- and falls in love. The Tucks, a kind and generous family, have a powerful secret -- a spring that holds the magic of everlasting life. And now Winnie must choose to live life as she knows it or drink from the spring. It's a life-affirming adventure that will cast its irresistible spell over you again and again.

Customer Reviews:

The Tuck Review.......2007-06-05

I personally loved this book. It is about a girl Winnie who finds a magical water spring. She saw a boy maybe a little bit older than her drink from it. when she asks if she could have some he says no. Then she demands the water because she owns the wood that the spring is in. He stops her then the boys mom and older brother come, he is relieved because they would know what to do. They take her to their house but on the way there they tell her the story. The story is that long ago they drank from it and as they grew on in life they realized that they were not getting any older from the time they drank the water. so they figured that they were immortal when Jesse the youngest boy fell out of a tree 30ft high right on his neck and didn't even hurt him, then when Tuck the father got bitten by a rattle snake and did not die, then Jesse ate poisen frogs stools and didn't even get sick, then the horse got mistaken for a deer and got shot and it didn't even leave a mark, thats when Tuck the father found out it was the water, so to make sure of it one day Tuck took his shotgun and before Jesse, Mae the mother, or Miles the older brother could do any thing he shot himself in the heart! It knocked him down but barely left a scratch. So the family tells the girl not to tell anyone about the spring. But the problem was a man heard the whole story and was planning to sell thge water! Thats when the story begins, but I am not going to tell you any more. But the one thing that made the story was that Jesse and Winnie fall in love. So I really think it was a great book.

Amazing movie!!!.......2007-05-17

I loved this movie so much. The first time i saw it was just after i read the book, And whenever they make a movie out of a book its never as good as the book. But this movie is definetly as good, or even better then the book. This movie is about a girl named Winnie who is fed up with life at home, and goes exploring in the woods. In the woods she meets a boy named Jesse Tuck, along with the rest of his family. Winnie learns that the Tuck family is imortal. They will live forever and can not die. They decide to keep her at their house, intill she understands why she can not tell about the little spring that makes them imortal. While she is staying with the Tucks Winnie and Jesse fall in love. There is an amazing scene that almost made me cry, when Winnie is being taken away from Jesse. Mae the mother hits the man who is trying to take away winnie on the head with a gun, and he dies. She and her husband are then put in jail, to be hung. The problom is, if she is hung she will not die, and every one will know the secret. If you want to know what happens next, see the movie!!!This movie has some very good acors including Alexis Bledel as Winnie,Jonathan Jackson as Jesse Tuck and Ben Kingsley as the Man in the Yellow Suit. All in all,this was a great movie and you should get it!!!

A timeless tale,but no real chemistry between Winnie and Jesse........2007-04-09

I read the book as a teen in the 70's and really enjoyed it. As an adult with a small child and a more realistic notion of,"mortality," I related to the film on a different and more mature level. Regardless, it is a timeless tale for all ages.

One minor criticism is that I didn't sense any real romantic tension between Winnie and Jesse. Perhaps the problem was with casting. They looked so much alike that they seemed like brother and sister as opposed to passionate teens. Even when Winnie was doing that fireside dance, Jesse just seemed sort of oblivious.

William Hurt who played the father is one of my favorite actors. At times he seemed slightly too sophisticated to play the unsophisticated father,especially since I tend to type cast him as,"Nick," from the Big Chill.

I enjoyed the movie but whoever cast Jesse should not have cast a guy who liked like Winnie's brother to play her love interest.

Pure And Enjoyable Fantasy!.......2007-03-28

This movie's story-line takes the viewers out of our ordinary world and succeeds in truly entertaining us, which is really enjoyable. There are elements of: a) a love story, b) real-life dilemmas, and c) tragedy and loss. I whole-heartedly recommend this to every viewer...

A really sweet movie.......2007-03-09

I haven't read the book yet, but this movie is really sweet. Alexis Bledel really shows a whole other side of her acting abilities in this movie, versus her role in the Gilmore Girls. The movie is about the Tuck family and their unique gift: they can not die. They were traveling west in the late 1700's when they stopped at a spring and drank from it. The spring had magical powers and granted them an immortal life. The movie focuses on the love story between young Winifred (Alexis) and the youngest Tuck son, Jesse. Someone discovers the Tuck's secret and eventually the Tucks have to leave, but not before Jesse has to decide between Winifred and his family. I won't spoil the ending, but overall I think this movie was well written and would be a great addition to any child or young adults collection.

Average customer rating:

Cool Quick, Delightful Dead!!!
a good movie. fun to watch
You'll Need A Bottle Of "MESCAL" To Get Through This One!
The gunfights are the highlight
"Our daddy's gonna kill you, preacher!"

The Quick and the Dead
Starring: Sharon Stone , Gene Hackman , Russell Crowe , Leonardo DiCaprio , and Tobin Bell
Director: Sam Raimi
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 0767817710
Release Date: 1998-09-29

Amazon.com essential video

Director Sam Raimi (The Evil Dead) tries gamely to recapture the exotic mysteries of spaghetti Westerns in this stylish but empty film, which stars Sharon Stone as a stranger who comes to the town of Redemption in time for an annual shooting contest. Her real motivations for being there are the stuff that might have found their way into a film by Sergio Leone--in fact, much of this film is a pastiche of Leone's greatest hits, including A Fistful of Dollars and Once upon a Time in America--but one can't quite believe Stone in the role. Gene Hackman gives a predictably solid performance as the town tyrant, and Leonardo DiCaprio is good as a lucky young gunslinger who gets to kiss the heroine. But not even the cast can help this failed project. Raimi brings a lot of razzle-dazzle to his camera work, but it doesn't make the film any more substantial. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

Cool Quick, Delightful Dead!!!.......2007-06-30

Take one of the many martial arts contests to the death movies, transplant it to the Wild West, and you have the general idea what The Quick and the Dead is about. The head bad guy, Herod (played by Gene Hackman) sponsors a gunfight. First prize is enough money to choke a herd of horses. From all corners of the country they come, some nasty and some nice. There is Russell Crowe's character, a former outlaw who has renounced violence. There is Leonardo DiCaprio's character, only know as "the kid", who's fate is irrevocably intertwined with Herod's. Finally, there is the mysterious gun woman, played by Sharon Stone, who has her own agenda.

In theory, this movie should be a disaster. Not that many critics liked it, in some circles the nicest thing said about it was "ridiculous". This is regretful, because it is an excellent, exciting movie with precise, supercrisp camera work. The duels, while bloodless enough to avoid an "R" rating, nevertheless come across as rough, tough and nasty.

This is a must-see movie.

a good movie. fun to watch.......2007-06-05

not accurate, but it is fun. It is very easy to get into the story. Gene Hackman is awesome.

You'll Need A Bottle Of "MESCAL" To Get Through This One!.......2007-05-17

In THE QUICK AND THE DEAD (1995), Sharon Stone plays a cheroot-smoking, Clint Eastwood-mimicking 1800s gunslinger, and Gene Hackman plays Gene Hackman - think of a wood plank; you know, something just a little less rigid and a little more emotional than Clint Eastwood. For the intelligent reader, this is all the review that should be necessary. Sure, I could proceed point-by-point in illustrating what makes this movie such a putrid corpse (a real "Boot Hill" special), but frankly, it is not even worthy of a serious critique. THE QUICK AND THE DEAD - along with Jack Nicholson's THE SHOOTING (1967) and Jane Russell's THE OUTLAW (1943) - represents "The Dreck Of The West" on celluloid, and it is a good example of why I completely stopped going to the movies two decades ago. I was tired of paying money to have my intelligence insulted (as well as having Hollywood's immorality paraded before my eyes).

Although this movie is an empty-headed, overly-produced, ultra-dippy "cartoon" (the Biblical allusion was especially stupid and any Yosemite Sam cartoon would be funnier and equally believable), it did amply show me what I borrowed it from the library to see - namely, MESCAL.

MESCAL is a frontier town movie set where numerous Westerns have been filmed. It is located near Benson, Arizona, just three miles North of Interstate 10 (exit #297) and on "the other side of the tracks." (I've always wanted to say that!) My brother, Napoleon, my friend, Pooh, and I sneaked into MESCAL a number of years back (a REAL Outlaw Trio), but I have since longed to take the "official" $8.00, 45-minute guided tour, and on May 3rd that dream was finally realized. The tour begins in the large saloon built specifically for THE QUICK AND THE DEAD, and there are no phones, johns, or refreshments available. (No saltwater taffy here folks! This is the REAL West . . . uhm, built for moviemaking.) Some other FAR BETTER Westerns that have largely or partially utilized the MESCAL set include:

The great Monte Walsh (1970) featuring Lee Marvin and Jack Palance (will this film EVER be released on DVD?!) MESCAL represented both Harmony and Charleyville. It was Roy Bean's Langtry, Texas, in The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean (1972), and Paul Newman's courthouse/saloon is still standing! It stood in for (if memory serves me) Hays, Kansas in The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976), where that old cigar-store Indian of an actor, Clint Eastwood, asked the Confederate soldiers, "Are you going to pull those pistols or whistle Dixie?" And it played the part of Tombstone, Arizona in Val Kilmer's Tombstone (1993). On the MESCAL tour, you will walk into The Oriental saloon (now an empty shell of its former self) where Kurt Russell slapped around Billy Bob Thornton and where later, Ol' Doc Holliday matched Ol' Johnny Ringo's gun tricks with a fancy exhibition of silver cup-handling. (The MESCAL tour operates on a very limited schedule, so call ahead -- (520) 883-0100; press menu option #7.)

I watched THE QUICK AND THE DEAD - filmed entirely at MESCAL - solely to see the movie set. And if you haven't got any gardening to do; a house to clean; children to watch; a good book to read; quality music to hear; a dinner to cook; letters to write; bills to pay; windows to wash; a dentist to see; a room to paint; a leaky faucet to fix; a friend to visit; a car to repair; a play to attend; a wife (or husband) to love; a drawing to sketch; a good movie to view; an enemy to fight; a dog to walk; a cat to kick; a geriatric to help; a mouse to catch; a fly to swat; a walk to take; dishes to scrub; laundry to fold; prayers to pray; shopping to do; a bank to rob; a supermodel to stalk; a nap to sleep; a game of solitaire to play, or a Louisville Slugger-wielding friend to batter you into unconsciousness, then by all means, I recommend that you borrow THE QUICK AND THE DEAD from your local library.

But be forewarned, if you do borrow it and your trigger finger doesn't hit that "eject" button QUICK enough when the movie turns stupid (which it does very QUICKLY), then this movie might render you brain-DEAD. Of course, if you actually PURCHASE this movie, then you probably already are!

The gunfights are the highlight.......2007-04-22

'The Quick and The Dead' is a good example of an anti-western. Released in 1995 and directed by Sam Raimi, the film features a female gunfighter played by Sharon Stone and some campy, over-the-top gunfights. Critics and western purists haven't been kind to this movie over the past several years. For that reason, it is better remembered by most as an early film vehicle for Russell Crowe than for being a "classic" western. Crowe's career benefitted more from this movie than that of other stars who appeared in the film such as Stone, Gene Hackman or Leonardo DiCaprio. The plot is as simple as a plot can get. Hackman plays John Herod, a grizzled outlaw who "runs" the town of Redemption which is a generic western town with a bar, a gun shop and a haven for prostitutes. Herod hosts regular quickdraw competitions in Redemption as part of a plan to goad other gunfighters, men who might challenge his rule, into coming onto his turf and, more often than not, eating lead. It is a simple and effective strategy that has allowed him to stay in power for many years. Instead of having these men sneak into town or gang up on him, Herod is able to get these men face to face in a one-on-one setting and either blow them away himself or sit back and watch while other gunmen do his dirty work for him in the contest.

The thin plot that exists in 'The Quick and the Dead' is centered around a few major and minor characters, each of whom have their own reasons for wanting to eliminate Herod (Hackman). The dialogue here is adequate and some characters (or actors) have better material to work with than others. Predictably, the worst dialogue comes from Stone herself and her character (Ellen) resorts to a large number of one liners. Such is the norm in a Sam Raimi movie. More often than not, though, Stone's performance is convincing and she does a much better job with the script than many leading ladies (circa 1995) might have done. Would Demi Moore or Julia Roberts have been better? Hardly. Before he was a household name, Russell Crowe contributed a convincing performance here playing the role of a preacher named Cort, who was once a riding partner of Herod's. Gene Hackman's performance is up to par and then some, even though 'The Quick and the Dead' is usually overlooked when one brings up his long catalog of films. Admittedly, there is nothing new here that a Hackman fan hasn't seen before but that doesn't mean his performance isn't good. It is. Leonardo DiCaprio uses his considerable talents to bring the character Fee to life. Known throughout the town of Redemption as "The Kid", Fee is purported to be John Herod's son and that eventually becomes more important as the competition moves on.

The actual plot does very little to drive 'The Quick and the Dead.' The most enjoyable moments take place during the actual gunfights and the challenges (banter), among the contestants, leading up to them. While the results of most bouts are predictable, the way things play out will both amuse and shock people who are new to the movie. One freshly dead gunfighter gets stripped to his skivvies by bandits who loot his corpse in the middle of the street, while the entire town is looking on. Another gunfighter, believed to be dead by no less than the town doctor, rises up and continues to fight. Meanwhile, the townspeople do show emotion when a gunfighter or two they are sympathetic with, or rooting for, is gunned down.

The plotholes here are forgivable, due to the excitement that takes place leading up to and during the gunfights. What is missing from the movie would be some character development or background on a few of the supporting cast members. Some of the supporting characters, particularly Ace Hanlon (played by Lance Henriksen) and Sgt. Clay Cantrell (Keith David), are great. Hanlon plays a card shark who goes from town to town doing "impossible" trick shots to entertain locals, before stopping in Redemption for the quick draw contest. During one early conversation Ace brags about how many men he has killed and in another scene, he talks about being as fast of a draw with his left hand as he is with his right. Nobody believes a word of it. Played to perfection by Henriksen, Hanlon's screen presence and dialogue is one of the best things about 'The Quick and the Dead.' It is just too bad his screen time is fairly limited and you get very little background on the character, other than one or two key scenes.

Sgt. Cantrell is a gruff, no-nonsense hitman who is hired by a group of townspeople to enter the contest and kill Herod (Hackman) by any means necessary. Somehow Herod finds out about this plan and confronts Cantrell before the two of them engage in a gunfight later that day. In a touch of irony, Herod admits he thought Ace Hanlon was the hitman hired by the town which led him to confront Hanlon first. Like Ace Hanlon, the character of Clay Cantrell gets very little screen time and it is too bad since he proves to be an entertaining character when he is on screen. Furthermore, Cantrell's last scene in this film is the most controversial one in the movie for people who are writing a review. Most Raimi fans love it but some western purists loathe the camera shot. Once again, Keith David's character is another minor character that the viewer would love to know a little bit more about. You'll notice that a lot of the minor gunfighters are just there and you never learn anything about their past and very little about their motives. Another minor character who provides a little entertainment is Jonathon Gill, who plays Spotted Horse and leads everyone into believing that he is impervious to bullets. One of the more talked about appearances is that of Gary Sinise, who makes it into the movie via a flashback. He plays the father of Ellen (Stone), who had his life interrupted by Herod when Ellen was just a child.

Sam Raimi's directing work here is very underrated and some of the best stuff is hidden beneath the surface. Watching the movie several times, a viewer can still notice new stuff each time out. Looking in the background of the bar while contestants are signing up for the contest, you will find a wanted poster for Virgil Sparks (wanted for murder and rape) who is one of the first round contestants. A moment or two after you see the poster, Sparks appears on the screen to enter the competition. Deep in the background of most shots, you don't just see extras but you can also see main (and minor) characters interacting with each other. Such a practice isn't common since the background of many major movies are regularly filled with extras and not the stars. This subtle camera work may have been entirely unintentional but I don't think it was. There are a lot of neat "props" and some character shots that you'll notice in the background when watching the movie in slow motion, rewinding over key scenes or stopping to press pause every so often.

The ending of 'The Quick and the Dead' is hardly a surprise and this movie finishes just the way you would expect it to. No twists, no "surprise" ending and thankfully, no legitimate opening for a sequel. What happens with John Herod is another point of contention for reviewers who have a grudge with this movie and it is something Sam Raimi gleefully included. What you will realize from watching the movie, or even reading most of these reviews, is that this is not a "traditional" or "pure" western. Not even close. Campy dialogue and fight scenes abound. The hero/heroine is a female gunfighter, which polarizes the audience right from the start. Some label this as a comic book style western. A recurring theme that 'The Quick and the Dead' shares with other westerns is its dark humor, most of which is provided by Hackman's character Herod. Some of the contestants in the quickdraw, including Eugene and Scars, are stereotypical outlaws. Those type of characters meet the norm for nearly any western.

What you get with 'The Quick and the Dead' is a movie that won't finish high on the list of most seasoned western fans or a list from a mainstream movie critic. It is a movie that is imperfect and could have been touched up in a number of places. Regardless, 'The Quick and the Dead' is a good introduction to Russell Crowe, a good catalog movie for Gene Hackman, a good cameo for Lance Henriksen (or Gary Sinise and Keith David, etc.) and a good stepping stone to help Leonardo DiCaprio cement his star status. This is one of the most commonly shown (and watched) movies on "regular" cable tv. It is regularly shown on AMC, TBS and TNT when they need to fill a late night or weekend time slot and there is a reason for it. 'The Quick and the Dead' is an easily accessible movie with just enough star power and just enough action to keep someone watching until the finish. When it is all said and done, the good things in 'The Quick and the Dead' outweight the bad and you are left with an above average movie and a three-and-a-half to a four star film.

"Our daddy's gonna kill you, preacher!".......2007-02-19

I think that line (spoken by a crowd of evil children before they beat up an unarmed, chained Russell Crowe) sums up the movie well. This movie does an excellent job of communicating the sheer GLEE of sadism. Everyone in this movie (with the partial exceptions of Stone and Crowe) don't just like to inflict pain on others - they ENJOY it. They cackle and quip and snicker and guffaw as they blast enormous, ragged, bleeding holes into people. This is an excellent (if somewhat garish and comic-bookish) look at an evil that has infected a whole town. Imagine Eastwood's more sinister and sometimes turgid attempts (High Plains Drifter and Unforgiven come to mind), but with a wink and a sense of humor. More slow-mo than the Olympics. Pioneered the bullet cam that has since been done to death. Ms Stone shows a lot of leg. So, it's got a lot going for it is what I'm saying.

A Quick Start Guide to Line Dancing (Shawn Trautman's Learn to Dance Series)

Average customer rating:

Thanks goodness for line dancing 101!
Easy to learn Line Dancing!
Line Dancing 101: A quick start guide to line dancing
Best Instruction - Thumbs Up!!
Super Easy to Follow!

A Quick Start Guide to Line Dancing (Shawn Trautman's Learn to Dance Series)
Starring: Shawn Trautman
Director: DanceLessonDVDs.com
Manufacturer: Xpress Innovations
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Special Interests | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Educational | Genres | DVD | Video

( Q ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Kids & Family | Independently Distributed | Stores | DVD | Video

Special Interests | Independently Distributed | Stores | DVD | Video

Independently Distributed | Indie & Art House | Stores | DVD | Video

General | Instructional | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Essential Line Dances Volume 1 (Shawn Trautman's Learn to Dance Series)
Party Line Dances (Shawn Trautman's Learn to Dance Series)
Two-Step for Beginners Volume 1 (Shawn Trautman's Dance Collection)
Hot Country Dancing for Couples / Beginners (Shawn Trautman's Learn to Dance Series)
Essential Line Dances Volume 2 (Shawn Trautman's Learn to Dance Series)

ASIN: B000A3I3HE
Release Date: 2005-09-02

Product Description

The absolute starting point for anyone wanting to get into Line Dancing. This is truly a "Must See" for beginners. Line Dancing 101: A Quick Start Guide to Line Dancing is the first of six different Line Dance DVD's in Shawn Trautmans Dance Collection. In this DVD, Shawn quickly and easily takes you through several different dances, step-by-step in an order that makes sense. This DVD is very effective with clear, understandable, and completely attainable instruction. Following the instruction is incredibly easy too, as the instructor teaches to the side and then with his back to you so you can follow EXACTLY what's being done. Line Dance 101 is great for all ages. Never danced before? No problem! Released in Sept. of 2005, this DVD was designed to get folks dancing, looking good and confident in approximately 90 minutes. Filmed in HD and complemented by multiple camera angles and Picture-In-Picture technology, this DVD is perfect for bringing the Line Dance class to your living room. The lessons are broken into clear, logical pieces that introduce more than 30 steps in 5 carefully chosen dances specific for learning and practicing. In what seems like just minutes, you'll learn the Electric Slide, the Cotton Eyed Joe, Slappin' Leather, Ole', and Swing Time. Plus, as a Special Bonus, both Monterey Turns and the 8-count Applejacks illusion. If you're ready to learn and have fun, Shawn Trautman's Dance Collection is the way to go. Order Line Dance 101: A Quick Start Guide to Line Dancing today, and be ready to dance by the weekend!

Customer Reviews:

Thanks goodness for line dancing 101!.......2007-06-21

I can't tell you how many times I have embarrassed myself trying to dance at weddings and other functions. I've tried countless times to learn the dance steps from others, but it always seems so confusing. This video has been a HUGE help to me.

Shawn breaks down each dance into VERY simple steps, and shows you two different angles so you can really understand what it should look and feel like. Since they are in their own segments you can rewind and repeat each step until you are completely comfortable-at the end of the "step" lessons they are all tied together and vuala! you're doing an actual dance! (some with some pretty snazzy variations too!) The only thing I would have preferred is if the actual versions of the songs had been used-a very minor setback.

I would not hesitate to purchase another video from his collection when needed-this one has already worked wonders! Buy it-you'll be happy you did!

Easy to learn Line Dancing!.......2007-06-05

I tried line dancing without having had any instruction and was lost most of the time. After using Shawn's DVD "Line Dance 101", I had to share it with my friends. It has everything one needs to easily learn alot of dance steps in a short time. My friends now line dance with me as a healthy exercise and we're thrilled with the great instruction available to us on this DVD...smooth and easy and fun! I recommend it highly!

Line Dancing 101: A quick start guide to line dancing.......2007-06-04

Shawn's videos are wonderful! I love the way his videos are set up. I was afraid of trying and learning from videos, most "how to" videos are very intimidating and are too fast pased especially when you are first starting out (and I mean never being on the dance floor trying these dances before), but Shawn's videos are very easy to follow in fact before I even realized what was happening, I had already gone through the first dance and was actually doing it and keeping up. I have since bought several others and love them all!

Best Instruction - Thumbs Up!!.......2007-05-26

I've been trying to learn how to line dance for a couple of years and tried to learn through many different kinds of sources - Even as far as getting on the dance floor and being chased around by the other dancers while I tried to mimick them! I purchased this Quick start guide as well as the Volume 1 Essentials and I couldn't be more relieved to find that someone cared to take the time to make certain that I knew what the steps were called and that I learned how to do them before throwing me into the dances. I can't wait to get started on the 1st Volumn and I must admit that my favorite dance so far is Cotton-Eyed Joe! haha

Super Easy to Follow!.......2007-05-18

Having never line danced before, I was just thrilled with the instruction in Line Dance 101. The line dance steps are clear and very easy to follow. I especially liked how Shawn taught each step separately and then put them into dances. Seeing the footwork from different angles was also very helpful.

I never felt lost while watching this video and I'd defintitely recommend this product to my friends.

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